Newwell
by chryseum
Summary: After a life of living underground, Nyshati discovers foreign scents inside her cave home. Included in a search group to track the scents, she and her Tribe are introduced to the wonder of light and the outside world- and what it's really like to experience being a true cat.
1. Alliances

Esterwell

Leader – Osnya – ginger tabby she-cat

Commander – Keneth – dark brown tom

Guardian – Zycot – black tom

Overseer – Elmara – gray-and-white tabby she-cat

Hunters—

Tasurd – brown-and-white tom

Hiemit – dark ginger tom

APPRENTICE: Guida

Loenth – dark blue-gray she-cat

APPRENTICE: Enich

Oldar – dark brown tabby tom

Lonyr – tortoiseshell she-cat

APPRENTICE: Mazyl

Titav - small smoky gray tom

Nyshati – black she-cat*

Samor – black tom (Nyshati's brother)

Apprentices—

Guida – ginger-and-white she-cat

Enich – white-and-gray tabby tom

Mazyl – ginger tabby she-cat

Mothers—

Iakim – white she-cat

Tiaril (white she-cat), Toeq (light brown tom), Shyet (dusty gray tom)

Emen – black she-cat with white paws

Trues (black tom with white splash on chest), Etkim (black tom)

Elders—

Honlor – dark gray tom with white fading his muzzle

Lidray – pale gray she-cat

Faranver – pale, nearly white tom


	2. Chapter 1: Light

Stone walls closed in on her, crushing her and making it hard to breathe. Blinded by the usual darkness, Nyshati made a poor attempt at turning the other way, lifting slightly on her hind legs to properly squeeze through the tiny tunnel. Unsuccessful, she let out a silent yowl for help, lungs refusing to take in a big enough gasp of air to let out a proper noise. Suddenly a sharp scent brushed over her nose—unfamiliar, smelling nothing of stones but of the scents of the stories passed on from generation to generation of Esterwell. Long ago the cats once lived in what was called a "forest," filled with the pungent scents of leaves and soil.

Narrowing amber eyes, Nyshati momentarily thought she caught a glimpse of mirroring eyes farther down the tunnel, but her paws refused to move. They locked on her, and the faint outline of a long, skinny muzzle shifted in the distance. Opening jaws grew closer and closer, threatening to swallow her up, and still her paws refused to move even as a bright light, like none she had ever seen before, began to well up in the creature's mouth, nearly blinding her as terrifying, vibrant colors proceeded from the apparition and wind ruffled her fur.

And then there was the feeling of something prodding at her side—were the walls closing in on her? Was she going to be flattened and nobody would ever find her again? Would her Tribemates think she had only gotten lost and forever tell the story of the incompetent new hunter—

"Nyshati! Wake up; you're squirming like a worm!"

Her eyes opened to more darkness, blurry shapes shifting all around her. The warmth of other pelts close to her sides writhed and grumbled in discomfort. Lifting her head, Nyshati noticed the voice had come from her disgruntled brother, Samor, who seemed to glare at her, paw placed over her shoulder sometime during the night now nudging her awake. When her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see more bodies shifting and moving to awaken and get on with the day.

Burning with embarrassment, the she-cat nodded her head, ears swiveling backwards as she mumbled her apology. Samor merely snorted, resting his muzzle once again on his free paw and shutting his green eyes. Nyshati also wished to return to sleep, but the remnants of her dream still caused her already-cold pelt to shudder. Opening her jaws, she drew in the scents of the cave; cold air washed over her scent glands and she scented the sharp, dry atmosphere that told her it was winter. Huffing, she gathered herself to her paws, mumbling yet another apology to her brother as he made an unappreciative grunt.

Stepping carefully over the rest of the still-sleeping bodies, Nyshati stalked out of the hunters' den and stretched her aching legs. Her pads were nearly numb, which was a common factor with her and the rest of the cave-cats, due to the harsh stone underneath them. There were places with softer, more comfortable soil, but elders constantly warned against going into those tunnels, for those lead to somewhere dangerous and unpredictable, according to stories they'd heard from their own elders as a kit.

Shaking her pelt, she glanced around the main cave and caught sight of shifting bodies near the leader's den. Blinking, she padded forward until she could hear their discussion.

"But the scent is still far off to the edge of our territory's reach," Keneth was saying, head tilting slightly to the side with orange eyes glinting. "I honestly think there's nothing to worry about."

"But lately the scents have grown stronger and more frequent," Osnya recalled, tail swept gracefully over her paws as she sat. "They only used to be weak and far-off into the soil tunnels…" As her voice trailed off, Nyshati remembered when she was merely an apprentice and the first of the strange scents had been discovered. It was a very stressful time for all of the cats. No cat wanted to go off alone, and kits were barely even permitted outside of the nursery. She shuddered, remembering the patrol's fear-scent when they'd returned with the news of the discovery.

"I still think we should keep an eye on it, but not worry too much," Zycot blinked slowly as he put in his opinion, amber eyes contemplative. "We shouldn't tell the rest of the Tribe yet, until it grows too serious."

"I agree," Keneth sighed, head tilting to look at the ceiling of their confines. "Only Estergold knows what would happen if panic rose up again in the hearts of these poor cats…"

Nyshati felt her fur stand on end at the mention of Estergold, their wise ancestors who once roamed these very caves and tunnels. Gathering up her courage, she made her way over, gaining attention from the higher ranks as she approached.

"Nyshati," Osnya blinked, nervously twitching her ears. She must be wondering whether or not the younger cat had overheard their conversation, Nyshati thought.

"May I be put on this morning's patrol?" The dark she-cat offered, her paws tingling. As she glanced between the three cats, her pelt itched to get going on a patrol, to forget about her dream and feel her claws sink into the body of a mouse, or her teeth crunch a grub between them.

Zycot blinked. "Elmara still has yet to awaken," he meowed, a hind leg reaching to scratch behind his ear nonchalantly, "but I'll be sure to suggest you when she does come to—"

"I'm here," came a sleepy voice behind Nyshati and she jumped, head whipping around to see the faint hint of a gray-and-white tabby. Relaxing, she took in the scent of another Tribemate, feeling herself comforted by the warm she-cat's faint scent of milk. Her plump belly stood out and was even visible with no light. Silently Nyshati wondered when her kits would be due and she'd have to briefly step down from her position to nurse them. Who would she choose to temporarily take her place?

"May I?" the young she-cat begged, turning fully to face the overseer, tail trembling. "I really want to go on this morning's patrol."

Briefly the older she-cat stared at her, thinking, before giving a small nod. "All right. Lonyr can lead it once she gets up, and Mazyl and Tasurd can accompany you two."

"Shall I wake them?"

"If you want a few grumpy cats, go ahead," Elmara snorted, padding passed her to join the other high-ranks who began to duck their heads together and converse in quiet meows. Narrowing her eyes, Nyshati turned away and headed back toward the hunters' den, no longer interested in what they had to say.

Ducking her head underneath the slight overhang of rock, Nyshati glanced around the throng of bodies until she found Lonyr, who was just beginning to awaken. Silently she hissed out, "Lonyr! Get up; you're leading this morning's patrol."

The tortoiseshell gave an uncomfortable groan, green eyes blinking and staying squinted. "Again? Elmara has been having me lead the morning patrols and the night patrols for three days now. What's gotten into her?" But, unable to question the mentioned she-cat's authority, Lonyr stretched her jaws in a yawn and carefully stood up, avoiding the other curled-up bodies as she did so. "Who else is joining?"

"Mazyl and Tasurd. I'll wake Mazyl," she added as the young she-cat began to prod at a body near her, and taking a closer look she confirmed the heap of brown-and-white fur to be Tasurd. Nodding awkwardly, Nyshati exited the den and shook her pelt, widening her eyes towards the apprentices' corner and the heap of huddled bodies in the dip of the ground. Briefly she remembered her own cold winters in the meager shelter of the hollow with only her brother as her source of warmth. Those apprentices had each other; three of them, all bunched together, would make a great warm bundle. Already she could see the bodies begin to shift as they awoke, a few good-morning mumbles and friendly licks for the morning clean.

Nyshati's heart ached to be as close to somebody that wasn't her blood as they were.

Shaking her head, the dark she-cat went on with her task, approaching the heaps of sluggish fur. "Mazyl?"

"Yes?" said a ginger tabby, half-yawning, half-meowing. Blinking her sleep-filled eyes, the young apprentice gazed at the newly-appointed hunter, somewhat in awe. Not long ago, they would have shared the same nest if Nyshati was a bit younger.

"You're on this morning's patrol," she informed the young female, and Mazyl gave a delighted squeal and hopped to her paws, somewhat stepping on the other two apprentices who gave unhappy mewls of protest. Nyshati remembered her own enthusiasm when she was that same young bundle of energy, watching the apprentice bound over to her teacher as Lonyr stepped out of the hunters' den, followed by Tasurd not far behind. They chattered briefly, Lonyr giving her apprentice a proud lick on the head as Nyshati caught up with the rest of the patrol.

"Where are we going? The rabbits' tunnels?" Mazyl chirped hopefully, bouncing on her paws. "Oh! Or are we going to investigate the scents near the soil-tunnels?"

"We're going the normal route," Lonyr meowed unenthusiastically as she stretched her slightly-numb limbs. "There's nothing special about today." Nyshati noticed the she-cat looked deprived of sleep and energy; Elmara's decision to put Lonyr on so many patrols seemed to be taking its toll. _Elmara's probably just tired and confused,_ Nyshati reasoned. _She's getting close to her due date and she must just be not thinking straight._

Mazyl, however, was not a bit less excited. The normal route was through the tunnels to the east, away from the soil-tunnels and the enticing scents of fresh air and damp fog, though she knew exactly where to go. Letting out another squeal of excitement, the apprentice bounded forward, past the patrol, and into the designated tunnel, seemingly eager to lead. Lonyr shook her head with a sigh and trotted after her, with Nyshati and Tasurd hard on her paws.

With herself in the rear, Nyshati followed the patrol through the tunnel, the beginning always so closed and thin that her whiskers touched the sides, and the walls even brushed against her fur at times. They traveled in single-file with Mazyl eagerly in the lead. Soon the tunnel widened out until they could all bunch together in a normal group, their pawsteps slowing until they were all cautiously padding forward into the familiar cave of frequent hunting.

Nyshati opened her jaws to allow scents to wash over her tongue, but no trace of warm, scuffling bodies of mice or tiny moles caught her attention. Frustrated, she began to pad into one of the side-tunnels that the cave led to, continuing to pad forward until the walls began to squeeze around her. Just when she thought she would have to turn back due to having no more room to go forward, the walls suddenly opened up and gave her more room to breathe, though the fact that her whiskers could no longer touch the sides made a pang of anxiety shoot through her briefly.

However, movement at the edge of one of the tunnels caught her eye and she froze, catching the scent of a mouse sniffing about and grooming itself in the corner. Fear-scent washed over the small creature as it noticed her suddenly, and without the element of surprise Nyshati huffed in anger, launching forward but just missing the tiny, warm body. Aggravated, the she-cat pursued her prey into another side-tunnel, the mouse squeaking in fear as she caught up and pounced down onto it. The weight of her body likely crushed it to death, but a quick nip to the nape for clarity wouldn't hurt.

Lifting her head with the now-limp body firmly in her jaws, a sight made her whole body freeze in fear, muscles tensing as she gazed upon it.

Just ahead of her was a beam of light coming from the ceiling. It brought with it the scents of cold, new air, the sounds of rustling as though there were tiny things chattering constantly as the wind blew. Dropping her catch carefully, Nyshati stalked slowly forward, squinting as she approached the strange light and gazed up into its source.

A tiny circle in the ceiling brought the light with it, sometimes blocked by a shadow when the wind picked up. Shivering there as she stood, Nyshati wasn't sure how long it was before she was brought out of her trance by the sounds of the other cats in her patrol calling her name. Blinking rapidly, she fought to properly see in the darkness once more, picking up the body of her now-cold prey. She squeezed through the narrow tunnel once more to find all three cats waiting at the entrance, prey in their jaws.

"What took you so long?" scolded Tasurd, eyes narrowing in slight suspicion.

"I got a little lost," Nyshati lied, meow muffled by the prey in her jaws. Tasurd merely snorted something about young hunters before picking up his own mouse and trotting ahead towards the main tunnel. Ears burning in embarrassment, Nyshati followed, catching a sympathetic glance from Lonyr thrown in her direction.

Stilling her erratic heart, still nervous from lying to the senior warrior, the she-cat padded quickly behind the others of the patrol into the cave. She wouldn't, _couldn't_ tell anyone about the beam of light. It was hers. She'd found it. It was her light from the tunnel, her scents and sounds that she'd found. Silently she wondered how no other cat had found it; perhaps the narrowness of the tunnel had dissuaded them from continuing on, or maybe this tiny hole was fairly recent.

Whatever the case, Nyshati focused on keeping it her secret—_her_ light.


End file.
